High performance latching-type luminescent magneto-optical photonic crystals

We report the properties of one-dimensional heteroepitaxial all-garnet magneto-optical photonic crystals (MOPCs) composed of alternating quarter-wavelength layers of diamagnetic Sm3Ga5O12 and MO-active Bi2.97Er0.03Al0.5Ga0.5O12 garnets rf-magnetron sputtered on Gd3Ga5O12(111) substrate. Substitution of ferric ions by aluminum and gallium improved transparency and induced perpendicular anisotropy in pure bismuth iron garnet. As a result, photonic crystals owned a record high magneto-optical quality and a latching-type (magnetic remnant) Faraday rotation (FR). At the resonance wavelengths 775(640)nm, a specific FR θF=−14.1(14.8)deg⁡/μm and MO-quality factor Q=99.3(46.2)deg⁡ represent the highest MOPC performance achieved so far.